The Chronicles of Akame
by Mastermind 32
Summary: A red eyed assassin with a dark past and a cursed blade, a young man burned by tragedy lusting for revenge, a young rebel captain devoted to his cause, and a sadistic general who values only strength. Four different paths that once intersected will set in motion events that will change not just their country, but the whole world. These are the Chronicles of Akame….


**Note from the Author: ****_A while back I tried to do an Akame Ga Kill story on this site. You probably remember me going on a long-winded rant about the ending of the anime and how much I hated it. While I still maintain the anime's ending sucked and was depressing, I accept it for what it was and how the writers were trying to do something different. Given how the manga's story and ending went a little differently than the anime irritated me at the time, but what I didn't know was that the anime ended before the manga causing the anime writers to create their own ending rather than keeping the series going. Obviously given the negative backlash against the anime after it ended, the manga went a slightly different route. My story originally blended the story of Akame Ga Kill in a modern setting with modern political elements, modern weaponry, and the CIA. It also had crossovers from some other stories I had going at the time and elements from them such as magic and Meta Humans. I eventually tired of the story and the lack of coverage it got in the reviews, the fact I was copying the dialogue of the anime word for word was probably a turn off for some. I've also realized that the Akame Ga Kill anime is just not as good as the manga. The voice performances are good for the most part, especially Molly Searcy as Akame, Allison Keith as Leone, and Christine Auten as Esdeath. Not really a fan of Corey Hertzog's performance as Tatsumi though. I always felt he didn't really add enough emotion to the characters. The show's writing at times didn't really help either. The first episode in particular is poorly written. I do like the animation style, I mean it's no Evangelion or Full Metal Alchemist obviously but it does work for the story they are telling. _**

**_I've decided to reboot this project under a new vision, and a new theme. The story will go back to the fantasy-action setting but with a few twists. Gone are some of the elements that were unpopular in the original Akame Ga Kill such as Tatsumi's naivety, and the pointless deaths that added nothing to the story or were just down right cruel. Danger Beasts will be substituted for standard mythical monsters such as Orcs, Ogres, Trolls, and Dragons, and Magic will be a recurring element throughout the story. I've borrowed a few elements from other works such as a regional layout similar to Skyrim and the Noble High House structure from Game of Thrones. _**

**_The Imperial Arms will be in this story but will have a slightly different origin, and each character will have their own motivation. Tatsumi for example will be motivated by revenge, while Akame will be motivated by making up for her dark past and saving her sister. Sayo and Ieyasu will also be alive in this story but with very different characters arcs than you might expect. Esdeath's path will also be a slightly different route, but she's still one of the main villains of this work. _**

**_I will never understand why some writers try to make her sympathetic or Tatsumi's love interest. I get that she's really attractive and that the Mine romance angle was poorly done in the anime (But actually written well in the manga funny enough). But I mean come on, Esdeath is not exactly a character we're supposed to root for. She's a sadistic general with a survival of the fittest mentality who's OP to the max. Her obsession with Tatsumi is a unique wrinkle to her character, but it's never suggested that Tatsumi really feels anything back. That's just my take though. _**

**_The main Rebel Army will also be a more recurring element, with several other rebel factions popping up similar to what happens in real life revolutions. I can't guarantee that characters who died in the original work won't die in this one, but I will make sure that each death means something. Characters won't die just to die like they did in the anime with Chelsea and Lubbock being the most egregious examples. _**

_**Finally, as for crossovers, I've borrowed certain characters and concepts from works such as Chaika: Coffin Princess, Arslan Senki, Overlord, WITCH, Winx Club, GATE, Riddick, Skyrim, Huntik, and Soulcaliber, and plugged them where they work with the story. Expect future crossovers with other fantasy anime such as LORD MARKSMAN AND THE VANADIS in sequel stories. Also, I don't own anything connected to AKAME GA KILL or any of the other works mentioned above, they are owned by Takahiro and Square Enix, but I do own all OCs.**_

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**THE CHRONICLES OF AKAME 1: NIGHT RAID**

**PROLOGUE: REVENGE AND REBELS**

* * *

**_Nation: The Romulus Empire_**

**_Region: Skyrim _**

**_Location: Slatetown_**

Situated high into the towering Skyspike Mountain range that made up a great portion of the Romulus Empire's northernmost border; the middle-sized village of Slatetown was about as remote as you could get. Surrounded by craggy rocks and vast forests, the village was about a two-day hike from the border the Empire shared with the kingdom of Asgar and was a common stop for travelers crossing the border through the mountains. While the summer months usually brought warm winds and clear skies, when winter hit, the entire complexion of the town changed.

The Skyspike Mountains were appropriately named for their great heights and jagged peaks which naturally meant lots of chilling snow and frigid winds. The region was known for its exceptionally cold winters, and Slatetown was no exception. During winter, the snowfall was constant, with the village often finding itself buried. Winter was also a great month of business for Slatetown as hunters, trappers, and woodsman came to the village from the west and the south in pursuit of the great herds of elk and deer that dwelled in the forests of The Skyrim region, often staying in Slatetown's inn.

The town itself consisted of about fifteen or so small wooden and stone structures built in a circle that included homes, different shops, a blacksmiths forge, church, apothecary, cobbler, and tailor with the town well at the center. The town was headed by a mayor who was chosen by the townsfolk govern and enforce not just local laws of the regional lord, but those of the Empire at large. The most popular spot in Slatetown was no doubt the village inn which doubled as a restaurant and tavern. The inn was named _The Spiked Heads, _and most nights found it packed to bursting as patrons consumed good food, drank gallons of alcohol, shot the breeze, and passed the latest news and gossip.

This night was no different. It was Friday, and despite the thick snowfall and chilling winds, the sounds laughter, loud voices, and music blared from the inn. A roaring fire in the fireplace warmed a room full of big, burly men, clad in leather, and furs who were busy conversing, eating bowls of steaming stew, and downing tankard after tankard of ale or wine. Serving ladies carried trays full of food and drink between the tables, sharing laughs and winks with the men as they worked. The hefty owner tended the bar, taking orders, and keeping an eye out for any trouble. The room was large, and square shaped with wooden tables, chairs, and stools situated in rows. A large fireplace was built into the wall farthest to the right. The walls were decorated with the finest of mounted deer, elk, and bear; with a few swords and battle axes thrown in for a finishing touch. The bar was placed near the back with stools spaced out along it. Behind it were shelves containing bottles and kegs full of beer, ale, wine, and liquor. To the left of the bar was a wooden staircase that led up to the second floor where all the guest rooms were. The price was one silver coin for a room and meal, with a gold coin buying a week's worth of service.

Tonight, the inn was packed mostly with hunters and trappers fresh from the woods eager to drink the night away. There was one man seated at the back of the tavern downing his fifth ale who stood out from among them, a man whose sour disposition earned him the owner's surveillance. The man had moved into Slatetown about three years ago and spent most of his nights at _The Spiked Heads _drinking away and harassing the serving ladies. The owner had lost count of how many times he'd thrown the man out, but he always paid his tab in gold, so he decided not to ban him entirely. The man said his name was Ramsey Kremp, and very little was known about him. He was a tall, muscular man with long, greasy dark hair, a matching stubble, suspicious dark eyes, and scars all over his cheeks. He usually dressed in a dark red cloak, brown shirt, matching trousers, and boots with a sword buckled to his hip. No one knew where he'd come from, or what region he called home. He lived in the woods outside of the village, coming to the inn every evening for a meal and drinks. Kremp was foul mouthed, demanding, and very unpopular, especially with the town's women. When he was drunk, he got violent and possessive, having more than once been thrown in the town's drunk tank to sleep off his ale. It was rumored that he was a former Imperial soldier, a member of some elite unit, but he vehemently denied it if ever asked about it. That was probably for the best.

The Romulus Empire was not popular these days, especially with the residents of the Skyrim region. After the previous Emperor died of a mysterious illness about seven years ago, his then nine-year-old son had ascended to the throne. Ill-suited to rule, the boy emperor had delegated a lot of his duties to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister, a vile man by the name of Honest Onaka, was as crooked as they come, and turned the empire into his own personal fiefdom, doing as he pleased. Not only that, he allowed the nobles and the military to abuse the people they were supposed to protect without any repercussions. Now only corruption and decadence reigned supreme, with the emperor none the wiser to the Prime Minister's manipulations. Recent tax hikes in Skyrim had only enflamed the anger felt towards the Imperial government.

The people of this harsh, rugged region were a hardy, independent lot who had never truly embraced the Imperial government as their own. Numerous independent tribes called Skyrim home, and they too were angry at the Prime Minister's attempt at subjugation. These new taxes had only angered them further. War was on the horizon as in response to the hardships placed upon his people by the Prime Minister, Lord Ulfric Stormcloak, the head of House Stormcloak and lord of the Skyrim Region was threatening to secede from the Empire and form his own kingdom with the support of the independent tribes and the major Skyrim cities. The Imperial government on the other hand was threatening to send in troops to occupy Skyrim. The situation was a powder keg, just waiting for a spark.

If Ramsey Kremp was indeed a former Imperial solider, it was probably a good thing he kept it to himself when he wasn't being such a local nuisance. Tonight, he was more concerned with his own drinks rather than conversing with the jovial hunters around him. He was downing his seventh ale when someone sat themselves in the stool before him. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw who it was. It was a girl, no older than seventeen or eighteen. She was a little on the short side but had bright blue eyes, creamy colored skin devoid of any blemish, and a freckled face that dimpled when she smiled. Her hair was absolutely gorgeous, long, dark, and flowing, with a white, butterfly burette decorating the left side. She was dressed in a white, low cut, crop top styled shirt that exposed her midriff, a short skirt cut just above her thighs, and a pair of leather shoes. She was a pretty thing that puberty had hit well. A fact that Ramsey's alcohol greased brain took in as he leered at her well-developed breasts and curves.

"Howdy mister." asked the girl in a sweet voice and playful smile, "Care for some company this fine evening?"

The girl added to this question by pushing her breasts up allowing the very drunk Ramsey to get a better view. The man's flushed cheeks turned even redder, and a lecherous gleam appeared in his eye as several disturbingly inappropriate thoughts danced around in his head. This was an opportunity he couldn't let pass up.

"How could I say no to a pretty lass like you." slurred Ramsey, "Allow me to pour you a drink."

"Ah, aren't you a sweetheart." cooed the girl as Ramsey wobbly poured some ale from his bottle into a mug and slid it before her.

The girl took the drink and threw it back with no hesitation. She set it down with authority once she was done and flashed another seductive grin at the drunk degenerate.

"Whoa, you know how to really handle your ale, don't you?" uttered a surprised Ramsey.

The girl shrugged, "I've had some practice."

She motioned to her mug, "How about another?"

Ramsey obliged, muttering something he thought was witty. The girl laughed anyway as she accepted her drink. A few seats away, someone watched their exchange, a wry smirk plastered on his face.

_"__You're laying it on pretty thick." _the young man thought to himself as he sipped a cup of cider, _"Aren't you, Sayo."_

He'd been in the tavern almost as long as Ramsey had, his head covered by the hood of his coat, but his eyes on the man the entire time. The young man was about nineteen, lean, and with the muscular frame of someone who kept himself in good shape. He was tall, but still growing with shaggy brown hair, a small nose, and the most intense green eyes that one ever saw. These eyes were currently burning in anger as he starred daggers at Ramsey Kremp. The young man was dressed for the winter weather, his attire consisting of a long sleeve woolen white shirt, tan sweater, dark trousers, brown winter boots, and a long brown coat with a hood. He was well armed too, for a curved hunting knife was sheathed to his belt and a three-foot, double edged sword was strapped to his back. The sword had a golden cross guard, and matching pommel, with a two-handed grip made of fine black leather. It was a well-made, yet well used weapon that had served the young man well several times in the past and would serve him well several more times in the future. He just didn't know it yet.

While he surveilled the conversation between Ramsey and the young girl, he kept his ears open to the other small talk that bounced around the tavern. One of the many things they'd been taught during their training was that taverns were a common place where stories and news were swapped. All you had to do was listen, and tonight was no exception.

"Did you hear the news!" exclaimed one bearded hunter grimly, "Herndom was raided by a pack of Orcs a few moons ago; everyone was cut to pieces, the women ravaged, and buildings burned."

"That's the third one this month." scoffed his friend, "Is the Empire going to send help or not!"

"Fat chance, those Imperial bastards don't give a damn about us Skyrim northerners." growled his companion, "They'd rather let these Orc hoards roam free, that's why Lord Stormcloak is pushing for secession."

"I heard he has a plan to deal with these Orc mongrels." chimed in another."

The young man listened for a little bit longer, going over what he knew about Orcs as he did. They travelled in large packs known as hoards and were tall, violent, and chaotic creatures with brownish green skin, greasy bald heads, yellow sharp teeth, and pig-like dark eyes. They spoke a harsh guttural language called Black-Speech, wielded curved, yet crudely made blades and axes, and often wore black, rusty armor. Most Orc Hoards were led by a chief, and while their intelligence was below that of men, elves, and dwarves, they made up for it with savage violence and cruelty. Their hatred for other races was legendary. If bands of Orcs were indeed raiding northern villages in Skyrim without any resistance, it was a very big deal.

The young man's ears listened in on other conversations. He heard hushed discussions about other events going on throughout the Empire. He heard about growing resentment from various tribes within the Empire, about the anger from the other kingdoms of men, elves, and dwarves, about battles between groups of rival magic users, about Lord Stormcloak's secession movement, about other rebel groups looking to completely replace the Imperial government, about more taxes passed by the Prime Minister, about roving groups of bandits attacking travelers on the main roads, about an infamous Imperial general suppressing revolts in the south, and most curiously, about a group of assassins terrorizing the capital. The young man listened intently on all these discussions, absorbing the information like a sponge. Finally, though, he heard the phrase he'd been waiting for.

"Being with you has been fun, sir." bubbled the girl sweetly, "I think I'd like to buy you a drink now." That was the signal

Ramsey smiled stupidly at her, "I think I'd like that very much."

With a final wink, the girl slipped off her stool and made her way over to the bar. Ramsey watched her rear bounce way as it did, before his eyes returned to his mug. The young man nodded to himself, she had him now. The girl happened to pass by him on the way to the bar, the two sharing a glance as he slipped something into her hand. It was a vial filled with a clear liquid of unknown origin. The girl put it in the pocket of her short skirt as she finally arrived at the bar.

"A mug of ale for my friend in the back." she ordered to the tavern owner, pointing a thumb over her shoulder to where Ramsey sat as she leaned over the bar.

The owner eye's squinted in confusion, "You sure about that, Miss." he said in a concerned tone, "That man gets very handsy with the ladies, especially the more plastered he gets."

"Oh, I'll be fine." the girl said with a grin as she slid the owner a copper coin, "Besides, after tonight, he'll never trouble any of the ladies in this town ever again."

"Whatever you say, Miss." replied the owner with a shrug as he took the money and poured the requested ale into a wooden mug, "Just holler if you need any help."

"You got it." the girl said with a nod as she scooped up the mug of ale.

The owner returned the nod and turned to help another customer. The moment he did, the girl poured the contents of the vial into the mug. She watched it swirl in the alcohol before turning to head back to Ramsey. She passed by the hooded young man again, giving him a quick nod to confirm that it had been done. She planted herself before Ramsey once again, a seductive smirk on her face as she placed the drink before him.

"Much obliged, missy." said Ramsey with a nod as that disturbed gleam appeared in his eye again, "Can't wait for the fun to start later tonight."

He snickered at that statement as he went to throw the drink back.

"Oh, we'll have some fun alright." the girl replied with a smirk that bordered on the sinister side, "But I'm afraid it won't be so much fun for you as it will be for be us."

The girl's comment didn't really register with the half-drunk Ramsey as he downed the mug of ale in about three seconds. He set the mug down and opened his mouth to say something only for the words to gag in his throat. The girl watched in anticipation as Ramsey teetered to one side or the other, his hand dabbing his forehead that was now glistening with sweat.

"Did it get hot in here all of sudden." gasped Ramsey as he tugged at his collar, "Cause I don't feel so good."

"Oh dear, you poor baby." taunted the girl with false sincerity, "How about I help you to your house."

"Uh, yeah sure." muttered the slightly confused Ramsey who was no longer quite sure of where he was or what he was doing. He stood up from his chair, stumbling quite a bit. He would've toppled over if not for the young girl supporting him. Despite the confusion and uncertainty racking his brain, Ramsey noted the girl was a lot stronger that her build suggested. She half dragged the incapacitated Ramsey out of the inn, the hooded young man standing up to follow them.

"Is he okay?" asked a concerned patron as they headed out.

"Oh, he's fine." replied the young man, his voice deep and sharp, "Our friend had a little too much to drink; he just needs to sleep it off.

The patron shrugged at that and turned away. The young man nodded back and exited the tavern after the young girl and Ramsey. He found them about a block away from the inn, Ramsey unconscious face down in the snow, and the girl pulling her coat from a hole in the wall of a house where she'd stashed it.

"You okay, Sayo?" asked the young man as the girl slipped the coat on over her revealing outfit.

The girl, Sayo, turned to her childhood friend and companion, "I'm fine, Tatsumi." she said, "But I'll be even better once we get this piece of shit back to camp and I can change out of these slutty clothes."

"Yeah, sorry about that." chuckled Tatsumi, "But it was the best way to get this guy's attention, and it worked, your acting skills were top notch I must say."

"Well, of course they were." replied Sayo proudly, "The masters trained me well."

"Trained us well." corrected Tatsumi as he slung the unconscious Ramsey across his back like a sack of feed. Despite Ramsey's large size, Tatsumi carried him like he was nothing, having been used to carrying heavy loads before.

"Well, we better get him back to camp before the drug wears off." said Tatsumi as he began to trudge through the snow in the direction of the woods that surrounded Slatetown.

"Yeah." agreed Sayo as he walked beside him, her eyes filling with the same intensity that matched Tatsumi's gaze, "Then we can finally get some answers."

It was a few hours before the drug finally wore off. Ramsey gradually began to stir, first feeling the cold chill of the wind across his bare skin. He finally woke with a gasp, his head pounding from a massive hangover, and his eyes wider than saucers as he scanned his surroundings. He wasn't in the tavern anymore; in fact, he wasn't even in Slatetown!

He was about ten miles deep in the woods, with snow covered trees all around him, the pitch-black night sky above, and a slight snow shower coming down, covering his hair and body. That wasn't all. The chill of the snow on his skin should have told him, but with a quick look down, the man discovered that he'd been stripped naked. Not only that, his back was against the trunk an oak tree, the bark digging into his skin, with his hands bounds tightly behind the tree. His feet were trussed up tightly before him as well. With nothing else in mind, Ramsey couldn't help but let out a loud scream as his situation became apparent.

"Oh good, you're finally awake." came an unfamiliar voice.

It was then that Ramsey finally noticed the small campfire before him and the two people standing by it, shooting him the most hateful looks.

"Who are you!?" demanded Ramsey in between heavy breaths, "What's going on?"

"My name's Tatsumi Kalos." said Tatsumi introducing himself as he squatted down to Ramsey's level, "And you've already met my friend, Sayo Mika."

"Howdy mister." taunted Sayo with a smirk.

Ramsey did a double take once he saw Sayo. The butterfly barrette was still there but gone was the skimpy outfit she'd worn back at the tavern. Now she wore a coat and hiking skirt made of deer skins, leather breeches, matching boots, and dark gloves. Two long, double-edged daggers were sheathed at her hips, while a bow and quiver full of arrows was strapped to her back. The look in her eyes had changed too. Instead of the playful, seductive gleam that was there earlier, Sayo's eyes now held a glare full of disgust and hatred. The glare was aimed right at Ramsey.

"You!" growled Ramsey, his eyes widening in recognition, "What did you do me!?"

Sayo held up the empty vial in response, "A simple concoction pulled from the Tiger's Tear flower." she explained, "Makes a good, fast acting knock out drug."

"You bitch!" snarled Ramsey, "You drugged me!"

In response to his insult, Tatsumi lashed out with a vicious backhand, belting Ramsey right across the cheek.

"I would advise that you not talk to her like that." he warned ominously, "And another thing, don't ever trust a lady with a big smile in a bar, especially one that'd be interested in a scumbag like you."

Ramsey gulped at Tatsumi's words, before straightening his back as much as he could, "What do you two want from me?"

Tatsumi held up a square of leather that Ramsey recognized as his billfold.

"You're a hard man to find, Mr. Kremp." Tatsumi said as he went through it, "Or should I say Mr. Kean, Lieutenant Ramsey Kean of the Grand Army of the Romulus Empire, 6th Striker Squad to be exact."

Tatsumi threw down the thin metallic card he'd pulled from the billfold into the snow before Ramsey. It was stamped with the credentials and identification picture confirming his service and true identity.

"You probably should've ditched that if you didn't want people to know who you really were." pointed out Sayo.

"Yeah, I was in the army, so what." scoffed Ramsey, "Served proudly too, retired with full honors, what does that have to with anything?"

"Five years ago, 6th Striker Squad attacked a small village in the foothills of the southern Vale region." replied Tatsumi, "The village was called Siloam, made up mostly of fishermen and hunters trying to get by, but they maintained a small, well trained militia to keep out bandits, you know what I'm talking about, correct?"

Recognition briefly flickered in the captive man's eyes. His face paled even further as he remembered that day. But he couldn't talk about it, he'd been sworn to secrecy. Doing so would bring death upon him.

"I don't remember anything." said Ramsey looking away from his two captors, "I'm sorry, but I believe you are mistaken, Siloam was destroyed in a rockslide."

"Bullshit!" roared Tatsumi as he throttled Ramsey, slamming the back of his head against the tree, "Don't lie to us, this can be very painful if you make it, but we'll get the answers we seek."

"Ssscrew yyyyou." Ramsey managed to choke out.

Tatsumi frowned but released Ramsey who began coughing vehemently. The young man turned to Sayo who reached into her pocket.

"Do it." ordered Tatsumi as he made his way to the fire.

"Do what, arrrghh." gurgled Ramsey as Sayo pulled a thick rag from her pocket and shoved deep down his throat.

Tatsumi picked up a metal fire poker he'd had sitting in the campfire. By now the tip was glowing bright orange with heat. The light glow of the poker illuminated the stoic look on Tatsumi's face as Ramsey's eyes widened in fear.

"Maybe some of this will change your mind." said Tatsumi calmly as he advanced with the poker.

Ramsey tried to struggle, but Sayo held him firm. Her grip was like iron and Ramsey could only gasp and sputter thanks to the gag as Tatsumi placed the burning hot poker against his bare ribs. Instantly Ramsey's skin sizzled like cooking bacon as the rancid smell of burning flesh filled the air. Tatsumi held the poker there for at least a minute for he took it away. He then repeated the process on Ramsey's knees and chest to more muffled crying. Tatsumi finally took the poker away for good, nodding a signal to Sayo. Sayo snatched the gag out of Ramsey's mouth allowing him to draw in air through huge gasps and a few coughs. Tears were now streaming down the man's face as he looked down at the sore, cruel looking burns that Tatsumi had inflicted on him. Just who were these people? Why did they care so much about what happened in that one particular village? It was then he heard the familiar sound that a knife makes when it's drawn from a leather sheath.

"That's just a taste of what we're capable of." Sayo whispered fiercely to him as she held one of her daggers to his throat, "Lie to us again and it will get worse, for example I could nick your jugular right now and let you bleed out slowly, or…."

She rubbed the dagger down his legs making his hairs stand on end, "I could cut chunks of flesh from your thighs, or…."

Sayo then pressed her blade against Ramsey's crotch, right into the family jewels making him wince in pain, "I could cut them off one at time finishing with the shaft, you and I both know how valuable this is to you after all."

"Alright, alright, you've made your point." conceded Ramsey with a few rapid nods, tears still pouring out of his eyes, "I'll talk, I'll talk."

"Glad you see things our way." said Tatsumi grimly as Sayo took her dagger away from Ramsey's crotch, "So tell us about the Siloam raid."

"Yes, we were ordered to attack the village." confirmed Ramsey, "A local militia cadet informed us that the village was harboring rebels, our captain ordered that village be torched, what about it?"

"I thought actions like that were prohibited under Imperial law?" asked Tatsumi ruefully.

"Look kid, I was just following orders." sneered Ramsey, "My captain swore us all to secrecy under threat of death if we talked about it, the official report wrote the loss of the village off as an natural disaster, dozens of other villages met similar ends, such as the fate of all who'd dare harbor traitors to the Empire."

"Orders, huh." said Tatsumi angrily, "Those orders tell you to rape and torture?"

"Specifics don't matter; besides, they were hick trash anyway." snorted Ramsey, "Uncivilized filth, why do you care so much anyway?"

Dark looks appeared in Tatsumi and Sayo's eyes at that statement. Their collective rage simmered, but they couldn't lose it, not yet. They still had questions that needed to be answered.

"The captain who ordered the raid." began Sayo, "His name was Samson Sterns correct?"

"How do you know that?" asked a shocked Ramsey, "Who told you?"

"Your former subordinates." replied Tatsumi matter of fact.

"That's impossible!" shouted Ramsey, unwilling to believe it.

"How do you think we found you, dickhead." snapped Sayo in return, "It took us awhile to track them all down once we learned the names of the soldiers involved in the attack."

"Most of them couldn't tell us where the Captain who ordered the raid was these days." added Tatsumi, "Only his name, but a Sergeant Honaker we cornered in Whiterun told us that his old Lieutenant was close with the Captain, and probably knew where he was; the good Sergeant then told us the last known whereabouts of said Lieutenant."

Ramsey closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He remembered Sgt. Honaker alright, he'd been one of the men in his old unit. His two abductors were indeed telling the truth.

"So that coward sold me out." he growled, "I always knew he was no good, piece of shit."

"Talk about the pot calling the kettle black." scoffed Sayo, "But enough about that, tell us where we can find Captain Sterns."

"I haven't spoken to him since I retired." snarled Ramsey angrily, "But I have heard a few things."

"Such as…?" pressed Tatsumi.

"He got promoted three more times and got out of the army as a Colonel." replied Ramsey, "His service record was impeccable, so the Prime Minister recommended him for knighthood, and the Emperor accepted; he was knighted in the Capital and now serves as a Bannerman Knight for the Imperial House of Emerick in Remus, the Capital."

"You're telling me this asshole was knighted!" exploded Sayo, "He's scumbag murderer, every one of you are!"

"Just the way things work in this Empire, kid." answered Ramsey with a smug smile, "The strong survive and thrive, and the weak shrivel and die."

"One last question." continued Tatsumi calmly, ignoring Sayo's outburst and Ramsey's terrible words, "What was the name of the cadet who told the captain the village was harboring rebels?"

"I don't know, kid, I swear I'm serious!" hollered a now shivering Ramsey as the cold temperature and snow was getting to him, "All I remember that he was a young lad, probably not much older than you two would of been; Sterns saw to it that he was rewarded handsomely for what he did, got him into the Imperial Officers Academy, he's stationed who knows where these days, why do you two care so much about all this shit anyway?

Tatsumi sighed in disappointment. Still no name for the one who'd betrayed them. The one who'd brought so much misery and destruction into their lives. However, they did have a location for the former Captain, now Sir Samson Sterns, the man who'd overseen that terrible day in the village of Siloam. Now the time for questions was over, but Tatsumi would give Ramsey an answer to his. He needed to know.

"We've read the report on the "natural disaster" that destroyed the village, this rockslide that never happened." explained Tatsumi darkly, "The report states that there were no survivors, but that's not true because we were there."

"What!?" spat Ramsey his face growing even paler as realization set in, "No, that's not possible!"

"Oh, but it is." countered Sayo, "We grew up in Siloam as orphans, but the villagers took care of us, they were our friends, our family."

"How did you survive?" asked Ramsey wide eyed, "How could you've survived, we were very thorough that day."

"That's our little secret." replied Tatsumi with a wry smile, "And we're done here, Sayo, I believe it's your turn to do the honors."

"NO, PLEASE!" yelled Ramsey as he struggled against his bonds, "SOMEONE HELP!"

"Screaming isn't going to do any good." sneered Sayo as she examined her dagger in the glow of the fire which seemed to enhance her glare, "We're miles from town, I can't deny that I've been looking forward to this."

"PLEASE, DON'T DO THIS!" screamed Ramsey as tears poured down his face, his struggled getting even fiercer, "I'LL DO ANYTHING!"

"How about you bring our family back." said Tatsumi darkly, before giving Sayo the nod.

With a quick flick of her wrist, Sayo slashed the man's throat with her dagger. Ramsey gasped, then chortled as blood began pouring like faucet from his neck. The blood spilt down his bare chest, onto his legs and turning the snow a dark crimson color. Ramsey's body spasmed for a few seconds as wet gasps came from his lips before the light finally left his eyes and his head slumped forward. He was dead.

Sayo cleaned her dagger with a rag as Tatsumi began breaking down the camp. They'd move a couple of miles south that night, out of the snow and away from the body before setting up camp again for some food and sleep. They wouldn't bury or burn the body; the man didn't deserve that honor. Let the scavengers have him.

The two of them had been doing this for almost a year and a half. Tracking down former soldiers who'd been involved in that Siloam raid, and killing them once they had the information they wanted. It was part of a revenge vow they'd made, to pay back the evil that been done to their friends and family all those years ago. Now it was almost complete.

"We finally got a location." said Tatsumi as he threw his pack over his shoulder, "After all this time, we now know where Sterns is, our revenge is almost complete."

"We still don't know who sold the village out to Sterns and his men." replied Sayo glumly, "It seems no one remembers much about the guy."

"Sterns will know, I'm sure of it." suggested Tatsumi, "After all, Kean said that he helped him get into the Imperial Officers Academy, and they'd probably have records also."

"Sterns is a knight now, though." pointed out Sayo, "Not just any knight either, he serves directly under the ruling House of Emerick, this won't be easy."

"When is it ever." agreed Tatsumi, "But we must do this, we agreed that all those monsters would pay for what they did, not for us, but for our friends, our family."

"For Ieyasu." added Sayo angrily.

"Yes, especially for Ieyasu." nodded Tatsumi as he remembered their dear friend who'd been killed in that raid."

"So where are we going now, then?" asked Sayo.

"Where else." answered Tatsumi, "Kean mentioned that Sterns was in Remus, so that means our next destination is the capital.

With that, the two friends set off in search of their next target. Together they were determined to get revenge for the lives lost in Siloam. Little did they know however of the danger, adventure, and sorrow that was awaiting them in the capital. Their actions there would change not just their lives but the lives of everyone in the nation forever.

* * *

**MEANWHILE**

* * *

**_Nation: The Romulus Empire_**

**_Region: Briton_**

**_Location: Gilead_**

A fierce thunderstorm came that evening. Lightning lit up the skies like a lamp as thunder rattled windows, and the rain poured down in torrential buckets. The citizens of Gilead, capital city of the Briton region, rushed for the safety of indoors to avoid getting soaked. Torches fought to stay alight in the downpour as doors and shutters were slammed shut to keep the water out. The stony, cobble stones of the city's streets soon became as slick as melting ice.

Most of the Briton region consisted of flat fields and wooded forests. The fields were covered in wheat, barley, and corn and each spring yielded a plentiful harvest that provided the entire Empire with food for the winter months. Gilead was the prime spot where farmers brought their crops to sell in the markets after the harvest. The city had once been just a large castle with four tall towers of black stone. As time went on, a large village of homes and stores had been erected around the castle. Eventually high stone walls had gone up, and Gilead, named after the first lord of Briton, was established as the region's capital. For years the city had prospered and continued to grow in size and population. Now Gilead was composed of more than a couple hundred homes and businesses, each residing in different districts with Castle Merlot in the center standing tall above the rest.

These days however, just like everywhere else in the Romulus Empire, things were tense. New taxes and regulations from the capital had made it harder for the farmers to make a living. Bandits, Orcs, and Trolls now infested the countryside, preying on anyone unlucky enough to be caught traveling the roads unarmed. This had led to protests that were brutally suppressed. Deryn Merlot, the current Lord of the Briton region, was an Imperial loyalist who supported Prime Minister Onaka's policies. He was a vain, indulgent man who treated his subjects like dirt. As punishment for daring to object to Honest's taxes, the protesters were sentenced to die by impalement. Hundreds of men and women had poles stuck through their bodies as their children watched, the corpses put on display along the road leading into Gilead. Martial law was established with a curfew that was brutally enforced. More troops were brought in the beef up the local garrisons to discourage any more protests. Most of these soldiers were of the corrupt sort, their officers allowing them to abuse and steal from the locals at will.

Briton was now yet another example of the corruption and rot that Honest was allowing the Empire to fall into. This air of tension and hostility proved to be the perfect environment for thoughts of rebellion and resistance. Tonight's rain, while an inconvenience to most, would prove to be a boon for others. Due to the recent detachment of troops that had been sent to Gilead to discourage any more protests, several empty buildings had been set up as barracks and arsenals for weapons. Some of these stone structures were now stocked to the brim with high class, well made weapons and armor ready to be used at a moment's notice. While tight security and strict guard changes had been enforced at first, the passage of time had allowed the standards to slip. As such on this night, as the city of Gilead was pounded by rain, one of these armories had been left poorly defended.

There were only two guards on duty that night. They were dressed in the black and dark gray armor of the Grand Army of the Romulus Empire with coats of thick chain mail and steel caps protecting their heads. The chest plate of their armor had the crest of the House of Merlot, their sworn lord, emblazoned on it. The crest consisted of a barbed spear sitting within a circle of fire. The armor was designed to protect the soldier's vitals while allowing for swift movements in battle. Tonight, the cold rain had cooled the armor, chilling the stationary guards to the bone. The two men had been standing there for the past three hours, with two more to go before the next shift change. The night had been uneventful so far, and the rain made it simply miserable. The boring pace, followed by the irritating weather had caused the men to go internal. As rain drops continued to ping off their helmets onto their faces, and thoughts of a warm bed and ale filled their minds, they failed to notice the interloper until he was standing five feet in front of him.

"Halt!" yelled one of them, his eyes wide as the stranger had appeared practically out of nowhere, "Who goes there!"

The stranger cocked his head to the side as he looked over the two guards. They were lightly armed with swords buckled to their hips, and their hands gripping long spears so tightly that their knuckles turned white. The stranger on the other hand was younger and faster with well-built muscles that rippled under his clothes. He was of medium height, with dark, shoulder length hair that glistened in the rain, slight stubble on his chin and cheeks, and intelligent blue eyes. He was dressed in a dark coat, shirt, trousers, and boots, with a sword and dagger hooked into his belt. The sword was about three and half feet long and had a black steel hilt and a silver cross guard. The sight of weapons was enough to wake up the guards as carrying weapons in town was forbidden under Martial Law.

"Don't move!" ordered the other guard as he went to level his spear at the stranger.

The stranger complied with the order as the guard took a step toward in. That was the last step he ever took in his life though as suddenly an arrow whistled in from up high. The arrow buried itself into the guard's eye with a wet thud, the razor sharp tip protruding out the back of his head. The guard collapsed the ground, instantly dead.

"What the fu..!" started his shocked partner, only for another arrow to make its way into his throat.

"Nice shooting, Aldarn." whispered the stranger as that guard joined his partner in the dirt, gasping for air as blood pooled from his fatal wound.

"Thanks Caleb." responded the archer, Aldarn from the rooftop where he'd been perched.

"Now come help get these guys out of sight before the others show up." ordered the stranger over the rain, "We need to be fast in case a patrol shows up."

"Roger." agreed Aldarn as he leapt from the rooftop, landing on the ground with a wet slosh.

The stranger's name was Caleb Arathar, twenty one years old, and the leader of this mission. The archer was Aldarn Roans, one his closest friends and trusted comrades. Aldarn was Caleb's age but slightly shorter and slimmer with brown eyes and a shaved head. He was wearing a forest green long cloak and cape that held together with an emerald green clasp shaped like an oak leaf, with dark shirt, trousers, and boots. He carried a powerful longbow made of the finest oak with a quiver of deadly arrows slung over his back and three heavy Saxe knives, along with other assorted tools and gadgets, in his belt.

Aldarn was an extremely skilled archer and close quarters fighter. He was a former member of the now outlawed Imperial Ranger Corps after all. The Rangers were once the Empire's premiere intelligence service. Mastering the arts of stealth, evasion, forestry, tactics, customs, languages, and hand to hand combat, the Ranger Corps quickly became renowned throughout the lands. Dressed in their signature forest green cloaks and hoods, the Rangers took on a near mythic status that was helped by their skill with the bow. The first Rangers, it was said, were trained by the Elves to shoot and that their teachings were passed on through the generations. In its heyday, one Ranger was equal to an entire squad of archers, capable of releasing five to six lethally accurate arrows in seconds.

Aldarn had been one of these Rangers, a fact he took great pride in. Born an orphan on the streets of the capital, he'd quickly learned to steal to survive. This career in thievery reached its peak when he'd decided to break into Emerick Manor, the great castle of House Emerick and the royal palace of the Romulus Empire. While he'd successfully gotten past the guards and attendants, Aldarn's infiltration had not gone unnoticed. Rickard Werner, a veteran Ranger who was stationed at Emerick Manor happened to catch the young Aldarn in the act stealing, sneaking up on him from behind without a sound. Impressed with the lad's stealth, instead of imprisoning Aldarn, Rickard took him under his wing. Aldarn was made an apprentice, trained rigorously in the ways of the Ranger. After five years of apprenticeship, Aldarn was awarded his emerald green oak leaf clasp, and made into a full-fledged Ranger. As a Ranger he would now accept missions of behalf of the Empire.

Shortly after this though, the Imperial Ranger Corps had been forcibly disbanded and outlawed. The official reasoning for this was treason and insubordination, but the real reason was very simple. The Prime Minister had been concentrating his power at the time and saw the freedom and flexibility of the Ranger Corps as a threat. Afraid of the Rangers turning against him, Honest and his cronies began planning their downfall. Using the emperor as their puppet, Honest had a series of royal decrees passed that slowly stripped the Rangers of their autonomy and powers. Eventually Mathias Ellison, Commandant of the Ranger Corps, voiced his concerns and objections to these decrees. He requested an audience with the emperor, just the two of them, so that he could explain his position. Sensing an opportunity to strike, Honest concocted treason charges against the Commandant and had him arrested. Under the influence of the Prime Minister's lies, the Emperor went a step further and had the entire Imperial Ranger Corps, a prestigious organization with decades of brave service, outlawed and its members branded as traitors. A new institution, the Imperial Inquisition, was created as the Romulus Empire's new intelligence service. They also had a more sinister function, serving as Honest's personal secret police and enforcers to quell any dissenting thoughts or actions. The Inquisition's first mission was to exterminate all the remaining Rangers.

Rangers stationed all over the Empire were hunted down as Imperial troops and Inquisitors swarmed the lands. A few however were able to escape. Some fled the country, while others laid low in the remote areas of the Empire. Aldarn and two other Rangers, his mentor Rickard Werner, and Madelyn Frye, were in the Kingdom of Brune on another mission when they received the terrible news. It took a while for the message to sink in considering most of their friends were either dead or imprisoned, their entire identity as Rangers shattered. They'd eventually made their way back to the Romulus Empire looking to start over, but a meeting with a man by the name of Julius Arathar and his son Caleb changed the direction of their lives forever.

Caleb and Aldarn proceeded to carefully drag the two deceased guards out of the rain into a nearby alley, and out of sight. This was only a temporary fix however as the lack of a posted guard at the post would warrant investigation if a patrol did happen to notice. They would have to work fast. It was just was well since they heard the snort of the horse and clickety clack of the large wooden wheels as the covered wagon carrying their companions made its way to their position.

Once the wagon stopped in front of the now defenseless armory where Caleb and Aldarn were, its tarp was flung open, and out jumped their five teammates. They consisted of Caleb's twin sister Caitlyn, the stout swordsman Drake Izik, the Tantarri war maiden Trenna Lourdes, the Elvish battle mage Tuka Luna Marceua, and the Dwarven powerhouse Hogar Stoneborn. Together, these seven warriors were known as Marauder Squad, an elite strike team of the Revolution to Restore Freedom, the largest and most influential of the rebel groups fighting against the Romulus Empire. Unlike Lord Stormcloak's secession movement in Skyrim, the RRF's main goal was to cleanse the Imperial government of the corruption and decay that had taken hold and build a newer, stronger government for the people. Marauder Squad were among the best warriors the RRF had to offer, their mission being to conduct lightning fast raids on selected Imperial targets. Caleb was their captain, and his twin sister Caitlyn was his second in command.

Caitlyn Arathar was Caleb's younger twin by about ten seconds, or so he claimed. The truth of the matter was a source of banter between them. She was smaller than Caleb, but was just as fierce in battle. Considered a stunning beauty with her long, slick dark hair, intense blue eyes, and fierce demeanor, Caitlyn was desired heavily among the ranks of their comrades. She did have one blemish to her appearance, a small scar that she wore proudly. It started at her temple and ran under her left eye, the result of a sword cut in her first battle. Despite her razor sharp wit and fierce vulgarity, she and Caleb were extremely close. Being twins, they'd practically spent every moment of their childhood together, and loved each other dearly.

Caitlyn had been the only choice for Caleb's second in command after his squad had been formed. She was dressed in tight leather and steel armor, vambraces, and trousers, with spiked combat boots and a razor sharp dirk strapped behind her back. Her signature weapons were cross hung along her back, two interesting choices for a woman warrior. In battle, Caitlyn wielded two heavy battle hammers about a foot long, and the head weighing a pound. The hilts were made of wood, and the steel heads were about the size of a large brick with a flat side and a spiked side. The flat side was for smashing, while the spiked side was for piercing.

The RRF had practically consumed their lives for they were born into it. Their father, Julius Arathar had been a captain in the Grand Army of the Romulus Empire stationed in the capital city of Remus. A skilled, brave soldier, Julius had been decorated for valor in several battles. A devoted father, Julius had raised his twin children all by himself after their mother's death. Julius's warrior lifestyle had been engrained in the twins from youth as both of them had been trained in combat and tactics since they were children. The twins were often caught up numerous street fights growing up. Caitlyn was especially fearless, picking fights with boys much larger than her, taking a beating as often as she dished one out. This of course would bring retaliation from her brother. It wasn't long before all the bullies and delinquents of Remus would run in panic up the street at the mention of the Arathar twins.

Another thing Julius had instilled in his children was a profound sense of honor, right, and wrong. After Honest's ascension to power, Julius had been one of his most vocal critics in the military. This outspokenness probably prevented him from attaining the rank of Major, but Julius's status as a war hero made him a prominent figure in the anti-Honest movement. He was so popular with the people and with his men that simply removing him from command was politically unfeasible. But eventually the corrupt Prime Minister had enough of the maverick captain's activism and decided to have him killed. Julius got wind of the plot and fled the capital. He emerged a few months later as one of the founding leaders of the RRF, and his children were by his side the entire time. Unfortunately, Julius Arathar was MIA, having disappeared during the Battle of the Great North Woods near the Skyrim-Vale border about three months ago. Ever since then, his children had stepped up, taking an even more active role in the RRF's combat operations against the Empire.

Drake Izik on the other hand was the most skilled warrior of the group with polite green eyes, short dirty blonde hair, and a well-groomed mustache and beard. He had thick muscles, huge hands, and was very athletic. This was all no surprise given his background as a former knight in the service of the Royal House of Emerick. He'd been a proud Bannerman who'd served his Emperor valiantly on the battlefield. His exploits had earned him the moniker "Sir Drake the Destroyer", but anyone who was close to him knew that this didn't tell the whole story of the man that was Drake Izik. Drake was a loyal man to his friends, faithful, and polite to a fault. He was among the most skilled swordsmen in the RRF's ranks and had never lost a duel.

Despite all his accomplishments, even he couldn't bear to witness what Honest was turning the Empire into. Drake had made his concerns and protests very well known to his superiors, but was ordered to let it go and do as he was told. Eventually he was ordered to do something so terrible, so ghastly that it was enough for him to voluntarily leave his Emperor's service. When one was knighted, he or she swore an oath of fealty to the lord who knighted them until death or until the knight was released from service. To leave a lord's service without his permission however was to break that oath. This made Drake a pariah among his fellow knights, an "Oathbreaker."

Drake had bounced around aimlessly from city to city for a bit, not sure of what his next move was. His service as a knight had meant everything too him, he'd worked his way up from lowly peasant to knight through valor in the military. But now he was nothing, just like where he'd started. With nothing but his skills, Drake had become a sellsword, a hired mercenary. This line of work had eventually brought into contact with Caleb and Caitlyn's father Julius. The former captain had heard about Drake's high profile break with the government and sought him out to join the RRF. Within the RRF, Drake saw a new purpose, a chance to restore the honor that the Romulus Empire had lost. He became one their most valiant members, training scores of RRF soldiers including the Arathar twins. He'd looked after them when their father had disappeared, and had gladly accepted Caleb's offer of membership in Marauder Squad.

For tonight's raid he was dressed in thick steel armor, chain mail, and leather breeches. He had a long dagger and his famous great sword at his side. The sword was known as _Orc's End_ for its blade had cleaved through many an Orc on the battlefield. Its blade was long, heavy, and very sharp. It had a light gray grip and golden pommel that was fashioned into the head of a dead Orc. The cross guard was also a gold color and shaped into a U. Drake favored a two handed fighting style that utilized hard, quick strikes and fast foot work to keep his foes off base.

Trenna Lourdes was the Marauder Squad's resident wild girl. She was a native of an area in the Empire known as High Rock, a member of the nomadic Tantarri people. She was of medium height with a slim build, big blue eyes, and wild, long brown hair, tied back and decorated with eagle feathers. Decorated in a striping pattern across her cheeks and nose was the blue war paint of her Tantarri Family. Trenna wore a thick vest made of leather and animal hide that exposed her midriff along with pants made of same material and black boots. Her razor sharp cutlass was strapped to her back and a long riding dagger hooked her belt.

The Tantarri weren't originally citizens of the Empire, living in the vast grasslands and hills of High Rock in the western part of the Empire. They divided themselves into tribes known as "Families" and lived primarily off the land, growing corn, and raising cattle. The Tantarri were also known for being very fierce warriors, even the women. They were among the best horseback riders in the world, learning to ride before they could walk. A Tantarri warrior was capable of firing arrows, throwing spears, lopping off heads all while riding. This made their cavalry especially lethal despite their relatively small numbers. They were a territorial race who defended their land fiercely against any attempts at annexation.

About fifty years ago this had all changed during the reign of Emperor Tiberius Emerick V. Emperor Tiberius was a crafty politician and skilled negotiator who'd single handedly gotten all the Head Clansmen of the Tantarri Families to agree to join the Romulus Empire. Under the signed agreement, the Tantarri were given all the rights of Imperial citizens but were allowed to keep their own laws, lands, traditions, and leaders as long as they agreed to support Imperial war efforts and paid tribute and taxes. Things were peaceful in the years since Emperor Tiberius's rule until Prime Minister Onaka took control of the government. With the current emperor as his puppet, Honest had demanded that the Tantarri submit to full Imperial rule. Outraged, the Tantarri had refused and war had erupted once again. The RRF, seeing an opportunity to gain a powerful ally against Honest, reached to several of the Tantarri families in hopes of forming an alleiance.

Some of these Families had rejected the RRF's offer, vowing to never again trust outsiders. A few, however, had accepted and sent some of their best warriors to fight in the RRF's ranks. Trenna's Family had been among these, and since she was among their most skilled war maidens, Trenna had been sent to fight with RRF on the front lines. It was on the battle field where she'd met Caleb, Caitlyn, Drake, and Aldarn. After fighting together in several fierce battles, and more than a couple nights celebratory drinking, she became fast friends with them. It had been easy for Trenna to be considered for Marauder Squad.

While Trenna was wild and unruly, Tuka Luna Marceau was the complete opposite. Appearing to be in her early twenties, Tuka was in fact the oldest one in the group, over 400 years old to be exact. Tuka was an Elf, a regal race of humanoids with unnaturally long life spans. She was tall for her age, slender, and proper with smooth, perfect skin. She had big cerulean colored eyes with long eyelashes, a small nose, and long blonde hair that fell to her waist. She was dressed in emerald green armor and battle skirt, with thigh high combat boots, a few bright green decorative beads in her hair, and black leather gauntlets containing flechette darts she could throw with lethal accuracy. The curved falchion sword, a weapon highly favored among the Elves, was strapped to her side along a smaller curved dagger. Her most notable feature however no doubt her ears which were long and tapered to points, a trait that was synonymous with the Elven race.

Tuka hailed from the Elf kingdom of Mordos that bordered the Empire to the east and was a daughter of one of its most influential generals. Mordos was a powerful kingdom where both High Elves and Dark Elves could be found living together within its borders. This was practically unheard anywhere else, especially in Elven communities. Elves were divided into two racial categories, High Elf and Dark Elf. High Elves had lighter skin, longer ears, and preferred cities of high walls and stone, while Dark Elves had darker complexions, shorter ears, and could usually be found hiding in small villages deep in the forests of the world. Both races spoke their own dialect of Elvish and practiced different Magic forms. High Elves used a more defensive based style with emphasis on healing while Dark Elves used a more aggressive form with a focus on Drain Magic. Above all, both races usually despised each other. High Elves considered their Dark Elf counterparts weak, dirty, and inferior while Dark Elves tended to resent that attitude.

In Mordos however, things were different. Unlike its rival to the south, the warlike and xenophobic Aldmeri Dominion, Mordos accepted all races within its borders. This attitude of acceptance was ingrained into the kingdom's founding when the first king of Mordos, a High Elf, fell in love with a Dark Elf from a mountain village, and made her his queen. At the time this caused something of a scandal with lots of outrage over keeping the bloodlines pure. This was all assuaged however when their child was born, a healthy boy with High Elf features. Thousands of years had gone by, and now Mordos was known as a land where all races, not just Elves, could found living together in peace.

It was in this environment where Tuka had grown up. Her father, Hodor Marceau, was a skilled soldier and general who had the king's ear. As a child she'd counted Dark Elves, humans, dragonewts, and demi humans among her friends. In Mordos it was required that all its population serve at least five years in the military with the king able to reactivate entire legions of discharged soldiers if the need ever arose. This was to ensure that a Mordosian army could be mustered with speed as with Orc Hordes infesting the hills to the north, the Aldmeri Dominion in the south, and an ever growing hostile Romulus Empire to the west, it was safe to say that Mordos had a lot of enemies at its borders. So it was that Tuka Luna Marceau was schooled in the art of warfare.

During training, Tuka became a standout. Sharp as a whip and skilled with a sword Tuka graduated at the top of her class. The most noteworthy thing about her time in training though, was her intense study of various Magic forms, both offensive and defensive. Given her father's position, Tuka could've become an officer in the Mordosian Army easily. Much to her father's pleasant surprise, though, Tuka wanted to serve on the front lines with the other troops. This just as well since Hodor Marceau had been tasked with a secret mission by Erres Delmar, the King of Mordos.

Relations with the Romulus Empire had broken down, and King Erres feared war was inevitable. Not desiring to throw his nation into a costly war that the Aldmeri Dominion was sure to take advantage of, the king decided his best course of action would be to assist in the removal of the Empire's current administration. Striking a secret agreement with the leadership of the RRF, King Erres sent three squads of some of his best soldiers to sneak across the border to assist the rebels. General Hodor was to be their commander and to represent the interests of Mordos on the Rebel High Command Council, the leadership body of the RRF. When Tuka had heard the news, she'd insisted on going along with her father. The general had been hesitant at first, knowing the mission would be very long, very dangerous, and that his daughter had only recently completed her training. But his daughter insisted that this was the opportunity she needed to prove herself and that she wanted to help free the people of the Empire from Honest's tyranny. Seeing her resolved, the general had eventually relented. Tuka had gone on to distinguish herself in small skirmishes against Imperial forces, where she'd met Julius Arathar and his twin children. Befriending them, Tuka had later been invited to join the newly formed Marauder Squad as the team mage and healer.

Finally there was Hogar Stoneborn, the son of Gormlo Stoneborn, who was the Lord of the ancient Clan Stoneborn. A Dwarf from the Darkstone Mountains, Hogar was shorter than the others as all Dwarves were, but was barrel chested with thick, cord-like hair and a braided mustache and beard that spilt down his chest. He had a bulbous nose and deep set face with twinkling green eyes. He was dressed in a steel coat of mail with a leather jerkin, thick bear skin coat, leather gloves, breeches, and boots. On his head he wore a heavy steel helm with an insignia of a large, polished rock, the emblem of Clan Stoneborn, stamped on its brim. He carried a large hunting knife sheathed in his belt, and an even larger, double-sided battle axe strapped to his back. The axe was a two handed weapon with a rather massive, razor sharp head capable of smashing through armor and splintering swords. It was pretty heavy, but Hogar wielded it with the greatest of ease.

The Darkstone Mountains were a rugged, snowy range on the Empire's western border and were where the Dwarf Clans dwelled. The Dwarves were a proud, stubborn, strong race who were known for their short stature, prominent beards, and their unmatched skill in shaping stone and metal. Dwarves were considered the best smiths and sculptors in the world, their skill unmatched anywhere else.

While each Dwarf Clan ruled its territory independently, there was one, Clan Blackhammer, who was considered the first. That was why the Lord of Clan Blackhammer was also given the title of "King of the Dwarves," and had the authority to issue orders and decrees that the other clans were bound to follow.

It was clan politics that had brought Hogar Stoneborn to the RRF. The ongoing crisis in the Empire had been a cause of concern for some of the Dwarf Clans, especially the way relations with Mordos had broken down. Fearing that the Darkstone Mountains were next, five of the most powerful clans; Redbeard, Stoneborn, Firewater, Greywolf, and Battleblade; petitioned Dwarf King Thorn Blackhammer to sanction actions to remove the Emperor and his crooked Prime Minister from the Imperial throne. The other clans had rejected this plan though, arguing against interfering in affairs that weren't their business. At the moment Honest, the Emperor, or any of their generals had not mentioned any designs or ill-will against the Dwarf Clans, so why poke the bear they reasoned.

The Dwarf King carefully considered his options. He wasn't blind to the kind of man Honest was and knew it was only a matter of time before Imperial troops began scouting the edges of his territory. However, for the time being at least, he needed to keep the support of the dissenting clans. So while he rejected the proposal for an organized expedition against the Empire, he did state that since the Dwarf Clans ruled with quite a bit of autonomy, he wouldn't stand in the way if they were willing to commit their own forces into the fight.

Seeing that response as permission, the five Dwarf Clans mustered their forces and merged them into the RRF with whom they'd been having secret communications. These new reinforcements of skilled, experienced Dwarven warriors had proved invaluable. Hogar had been one of these warriors as the son of one of the invading clan's leaders. Having visited the Empire many times before, he'd been appalled by the suffering Honest was afflicting upon his citizens and had vowed to do anything he could to help. While gruff and stubborn, he was a brave fighter, almost unstoppable, and was a fine addition to Marauder Squad.

Caleb looked each of his teammates in the eye, nodding to each of them. They all had an axe to grind against the Empire, and here now was another opportunity to fight back.

"This is it guys." he whispered, "The weapons in here will benefit our cause greatly."

"Good thing for the rain." whispered his sister, "Make it hard them to see or track us."

"Still let's be quick about this." urged Drake, "In case a patrol happens to come this way."

"Good idea." agreed Caleb with a nod, "Aldarn."

At his leader's request, Aldarn produced the keys he'd taken from the dead guard. He quickly unlocked the door to the armory, which swung open with a loud creak. The rebels ignored this and surged inside.

"Take everything." ordered Caleb quietly, "This is too good an opportunity to pass up."

"So you keep telling us." replied Caitlyn with a wry smirk, "Just remember who discovered this place's weak security holes in the first place?"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it." retorted Caleb annoyed, "You're great, and I owe you."

"Don't you forget it, little brother." teased Caitlyn.

"How many times do we have to go over this." groaned Caleb, "I am the older twin."

"Show me the proof, then." demanded Caitlyn.

"Do you guys really have to do this right now." interjected Drake exasperated, "We're supposed to be on a mission."

"Oh right, sorry." said the twins in unison, a habit they'd picked up over the years.

Tuka chuckled, shaking her head at the typical brother-sister banter between the twins. She'd always found it somewhat amusing. Trenna on the other hand found it annoying.

"You guys really need to let the whole who was born first thing go." The Tantarri girl commented, "It's just ten seconds that none of you can remember, big deal."

"It is a big deal." insisted Caleb, "Once she finally accepts that I'm the older twin, she'll stop questioning my orders all the time."

"Whatever." snorted Trenna, "You two are hopeless."

The rebels surveyed the interior of the armor. Through the light of the wall torches they could make out racks upon racks of high quality armor, swords, spears, bows, and provisions. Weapons that were sorely needed in the RRF's ongoing struggle against the Empire.

"Take what weapons you can carry only." ordered Caleb, "Leave the heavy armor."

The others nodded in agreement. Trying to carry the armor out of here would only slow them down and waste time.

"Tuka, stay outside and watch the horse." added Caitlyn, "Keep a look out for patrols or anything else that might interfere in the mission."

"Right." nodded Tuka, the Elf girl turning to head out.

Elves were known for their enhanced senses which them the perfect lookouts. Tuka's hearing, smell, and sight were extremely keen, way above that of the average man or Dwarf. With that, Caleb gave a quick a signal, and Marauder Squad spread out. They began scooping up the swords, bows, and knives, quickly and as quietly as they could manage. Once their arms were full they'd carry their haul outside and into the wagon that could take them out of the city and back to their hidden base. While they did, Caleb noticed Hogar staring solemnly at a blade he'd picked up.

"What's wrong, Hogar?" he asked.

"I've seen t'is work before, laddie." replied Hogar in this thick Dwarven Brogue, "T'is blade is one of ours."

"Are you sure?" questioned Caleb, concerned.

"T'ere's no doubt, I'm afraid." confirmed Hogar solemnly pointing to the rune etched into the sword's cross guard, "T'is rune here is the mark of Clan Bloodspike, I count about twenty other blades 'ere with t'same mark."

Caleb followed Hogar's finger, seeing the rune immediately. The mark showed three bloody spikes pointed upwards, a sigil Caleb knew to be that of the Dwarf Clan Bloodspike.

"What are their weapons doing here?" asked Caitlyn, joining the two of them in examining the blades, "Last I checked, the Empire didn't have access to Dwarven made weapons."

"That doesn't appear to be the case now." said Caleb with a shake of his head, "We need to make sure to inform the Command Council once we return to base."

The other two nodded in agreement. Dwarven weapons were considered to be the best in the world. They did not break, did not wither, and could cut through just about anything. While the RRF had Dwarves among their ranks, if the Empire had found a way to supply their troops with Dwarven weaponry it could be a huge turning point.

"How could this happen?" demanded Caitlyn, "Could the Bloodspikes have sided with the Empire?"

"T'is possible, lass." admitted Hogar with a dark nod, "T'ose Bloodspike bastards are a real vicious lot, and double as treacherous."

That much was true. The Dwarves of Clan Bloodspike were wilder, more violent, and more hostile than the other Dwarf Clans. They distrusted outsiders, especially humans, and were usually excluded from the yearly Clan Lord meetings. They dwelled in a remote pass near the Great Tombs of Nazarick, a long abandoned ruin that went deep into the mountains. The tomb had a dark reputation among the Dwarves, superstition being at the center of it. They all claimed that no traveler who went anywhere near the tombs ever returned alive, told tales of strange creatures who lived inside, feasting on any unlucky interlopers.

The Bloodspikes believe an ancient, powerful being lived in the tombs, guarding its secrets. They'd deified this entity, sacrificing prisoners they'd captured by throwing them into the tombs, never to be seen again. While the idea that they were selling weapons to the Empire was unlikely given their hatred for humans, Hogar wouldn't put anything past them.

"That's not all." added Aldarn, holding up a bow in his hand as he approached them, "This bow here is not a military model, looks more like the kind you'd find in a hunter's shack for deer."

"Lord Merlot's disarming the population." said Drake with a shake of his head, "Given recent events, the Prime Minister probably wants to discourage any ideas of armed revolt in this region."

"That's what I was thinking." agreed Aldarn.

"Figures." snorted Caleb disgustedly, "Taking our weapons to use against us."

"Bastards." added his sister, "Let them try."

"Hey guys!" called Trenna, "I found something back here!"

The others hurried to join them.

"What is it, Trenna?" asked Caleb.

"Don't know." replied the Tantarri girl, "It sure is locked up tight though."

It was door, made of solid cast iron with a thick padlock and chain. Obviously, the Empire didn't want anyone getting in there. But for what reason?

"Aldarn, the keys." urged Caleb.

"Only keys the guards had was for the entrance." replied the former Ranger, "But If you give me a minute I can pick the lock."

Caleb weighed that option in his mind. Given the size of that padlock, there was something behind that door the Empire didn't want just anyone to be able to grab. Whatever it was, it could be a huge boon to the RRF. However, they'd already loaded up plenty of weapons into the wagon, and needed to get going soon. This was going to eat up time, but Caleb refused to let a potential asset stay in enemy hands.

"Make it quick." he ordered.

Aldarn obliged, removing his lock picks from his belt. He got to work, jiggling the pick around inside the padlock, frowning as he worked. This was going to be a minute. The others started to get antsy as he continued, knowing that it was time for them get going. The rain had let up a little bit, which meant the guard relief or even a patrol could arrive at any time. The moment they found the bodies of the guard, or saw the horse and wagon in front of the armory an alarm would be raised and the entire city would be under lock down. The gates would be shut tight, and no one would be allowed in or out. They would be trapped.

"Any day now, Aldarn." hissed Caitlyn.

"I'm doing my best." Aldarn growled back through clenched teeth, "This lock is tamper resistant, they really don't want anyone getting in there."

"Which is more the reason why we should take a look." said Caleb.

Finally, after a few more seconds, Aldarn was able to pop the last tumbler. The padlock clicked upon, the heavy chain landing on the ground with a thud. Caleb and Drake pushed the door open to reveal a wall of darkness before them. Trenna grabbed a torch and led the others inside. The moment they saw the contents, each member of the time gasped in surprise.

In the light of Trenna's torch stood rows upon rows of one of the most powerful weapons within the Imperial arsenal. They were firearms; submachine guns, sniper rifles, and pistols. This indeed was a rare find for the rebels. The Romulus Empire had created the first firearms over one hundred years ago, and had been advancing the technology ever since. While it took years to train a soldier how to properly wield a sword, spear, or axe, it took only months to make a man effective enough with a rifle to cover a battlefield in carnage within minutes. The resources for the ammunition however was limited, making mass production of firearm weaponry near impossible. To counteract this, only specialized squads within the Imperial Army, and authorized security guards were allowed to carry firearms. While they'd heard rumors of secret stashes of these devastating weapons being scattered around the Empire, they'd never considered they'd actually locate one. Until now, that is.

"I've never seen so many at once." Trenna finally said.

"Me neither." agreed Caitlyn.

"Pfft, a coward's weapon." sneered Drake, who preferred the old ways of warfare where men charged each other head on blades at the ready.

"Maybe so." nodded Caleb, "But even a handful of these guns could prove to be the difference maker, even counteract those Dwarven weapons."

"We can't take all of these, brother." pointed out Caitlyn concerned, "We don't enough room or enough time."

"I know." replied Caleb, "But can't let this go to waste, everyone grab a gun, and what ammunition you can find."

He punctuated this order by picking up a pistol, slamming a magazine into it, jacking the slide back, and sliding into his jacket. He loaded up a submachine gun, putting the strap of the weapon over his head. The others followed his example, grabbing what guns they could carry. With their arms full, they turned to head outside.

Tuka was there, whispering soothing words to the horse. It'd been awhile since any of her friends had come out carrying weapons or provisions and she was wondering what was keeping them. She got her answer the minute she saw the guns. Tuka paled at the sight of those weapons. Like Drake, she too hated firearms, in fact Elves considered them to be an abomination of a weapon.

She was about to voice her concerns when all of a sudden her ears perked up with sound of rattling armor, and boots sloshing through the rain puddles. Her nose filled with the foul stench of alcohol and body odor. Caleb and the others picked up on this immediately.

"What is it, Tuka?" asked Caleb.

"A group is coming this way." she said, turning to the south, "Nine of them, sounds like a patrol."

"Shit." cursed Caitlyn angrily, "And they're in our escape path."

"We're going to have fight our way out." said Trenna, drawing her cutlass, twirling it effortlessly in her hand.

Caleb shook his head in frustration, this wasn't good at all. If they left now, they would ride directly into the path of the patrol who would surely stop and search them. If they went any other way, it would take longer to get out of the city, and they might run into another patrol. Leaving the weapons behind and running for it was out of the question too as they refused to go back empty handed. That left only one other option.

"We'll take them here." decided Caleb, "We need to be fast, we'll have to haul ass to the gate before the alarm is sounded and the gate is closed, once we're outside the city we'll lay low at one of the safe houses in the country until the heats off."

"You sure b'out that, laddie?" questioned Hogar, "We risk capture with that plan, or worse."

"I agree." added Drake, "Imperial prisons are exactly pleasant these days, especially for traitors like us."

"It's risky, but I believe Caleb is right about this." urged Caitlyn, looking to her brother, "It's our best option, and I have faith that we can pull this off."

"Thanks Cait." said an appreciative Caleb.

"We need to be ready then." said Tuka, drawing her sword, "Because they're close."

It was just as well, because it was at that moment the patrol happened to step into view. They were all dressed alike in dark armor, carrying swords, though the sergeant, a blonde haired, bearded man had opted to keep his head bare. As soon as he laid eyes on Marauder Squad, he stopped his patrol.

"Stop right there!" he ordered, "In the name of Deryn Merlot, Lord of Briton, in the name of the Emperor, I order you to surrender your weapons and prepare to be detained."

Aldarn's response was immediate. In a flash his bow was already out, arrow on the string. The shot struck the sergeant square in the head, through the brain, killing him instantly.

"They're rebels!" hollered one of soldiers as his sergeant fell.

"Kill them!" yelled another.

The men drew their swords and charged forward to meet Marauder Squad head on. One of the men only made it two steps before another of Aldarn's arrows buried itself under his chest plate, and into his heart. Another soldier received an arrow through the head. Caleb met the leader head on, sword at the ready.

Their blades collided with a loud clang. The soldier possessed little skill behind hacking and slashing, coming at the young rebel with a series of clumsy blows. Caleb blocked all the strokes, knocking the last one aside to create an opening. He sent his blade through the man's stomach, a river of blood pouring out of the wound almost immediately. The man gasped aloud, collapsing to the ground where Caleb finished him off with a quick thrust to the chest.

Caitlyn was less scientific in her approach. With a loud yell, she blocked the soldier's overhead swing on the haft of one of her hammers, bringing the other one low to strike at the man's knee. The bone broke with an ugly crunch, the man yelping as the knee buckled. Caitlyn didn't let up though, bring one of her hammers up in an underhand swing. The head of the hammer cracked the soldier hard in the jaw, shattering it, and sending bone fragments into his brain.

It didn't take long for Drake finish off his man, the largest of the patrol. The man had charged the former knight, bellowing with his blade raised high to cut him down. Drake meanwhile had stood there calmly, the master swordsman he was, his blade in one hand. When the man was in range, he sidestepped the man's attack, his sword flashing upwards as the man's hand came down, and the blade slicing through his chain mail protected hand as if it was butter. The limb, still gripping the soldier's sword, fell to the ground. The soldiers grasped the stump of his arm, howling in pain as blood poured from it like a faucet. Drake didn't give him long to suffer though as he cleaved through the soldier's chest plate with a perfect two handed swing.

Trenna was a blur with her cutlass, lashing out with lighting fast attacks that kept her attacker off balance. The soldier grunted in frustration, and tried to backpedal, leaving his guts unprotected. Trenna capitalized almost immediately, sending the tip of her cutlass through the man's stomach, and out his back. The man chortled, collapsing on the blade, blood dripping from his mouth. Trenna wrenched the blade out of the man's body, her face contorted in disgust.

The soldier going after Tuka went to swing, only for the Elf to nimbly avoid it. The man grunted in anger and came at her again. Their blades met again, and again, sparks flying off as they clashed. Tuka spun away from her opponent, coming back with a slash to the forearm that drew blood. This also earned her a curse of pain. Looking to finish, she yelled something in Elvish, and there was a quick flash of light. The man cried out as he was instantly blinded, allowing Tuka to slice into his thigh, sending him to his knees. Tuka casually beheaded the man, before turning to face another sword wielding soldier. This man however kept his distance, not eager to engage the magic using Elf. He circled around her slowly, his sword raised in front of him. Tuka regarded him with distain, emerald magical energy coalescing in her hand. The soldier saw this, his eyes widening. Tuka raised her hand, an orb of magical energy shooting out of it. It struck the soldier in the chest, killing him.

Hogar, meanwhile charged forward with a loud war cry, axe at the ready. His heavy weapon smashed though his enemy's sword reducing it to splinters. The soldier looked in shocked horror at the hilt of his now broken sword. Hogar only allowed that moment of respite as he thrust the top of his axe forward, striking the soldier in the face with a dull thud. The dazed man fell to the ground, Hogar bringing his axe down on his chest before he could recover. The axe smashed through the soldier's armor like it was nothing, breaking through ribs, collapsing lungs, and destroying the heart. With a grunt, Hogar pulled his axe free of the dead man's chest.

It hadn't taken long for the small, but skilled group of rebels to make short work of the patrol. Unfortunately the noise of the short battle had attracted attention. As Caleb sheathed his sword, turning to address his team, an arrow fired from up high streaked past his head, making him recoil backwards. He couldn't see where it came from, but that wasn't a problem for Aldarn. The former Ranger quickly released a return arrow. There was a scream of pain, followed by the thud of a falling body. More arrows screamed towards the rebels, causing them to take cover behind the wagon. Aldarn fired back a few more times before, hunkering down.

"Thanks, Aldarn." nodded Caleb, "Now everyone get in the wagon and head for the gate, more soldiers could be here any minute!"

The others nodded in agreement. They all piled into the wagon, Drake and Caleb in the driver's seat. Drake cracked the reigns sharply, and with a loud neigh, the horse charged forward. It trotted its way down the street, through the rain, and into the night as the arrows bounced off the wagon it was pulling. Drake drove the horse to go as fast it could be allowed pulling the very loaded wagon. Caleb kept the machine gun he'd taken from armory trained before him, ready to blast anyone who might try to stop them.

Down the streets the horse ran, the noisy wagon bouncing behind it. A few unlucky civilians got splashed as the wagon raced through the rain puddles, sending spray in all directions. This earned them a few ugly curse words in their direction. Caleb shook his head apologetically. They'd thank them later. Finally, the gate was in view, and thankfully, it was still open.

A squad of guards was planning to change that though. About seven them had formed a spear wall between them and the gate, shields up, and ready to skewer the horse and them the moment the wagon hit. Not only that, through the meager torch light, Caleb and Drake could just make out two of the guards starting to turn the massive wheel that controlled the gate on top of the wall. This was going to be close.

"This is going to hurt!" yelled Drake as they got closer to the spears, "Like a lot!"

"Drake, we need to go faster!" answered Caleb as he stood up in the driver's chair.

"Are you mad!" hollered Drake incredulously.

A few of the archers atop the wall saw him, and sent a few arrows his way. Caleb was very lucky as the shots were rushed and whistled by his head, though one did bounce of Drake's shoulder plate.

The former knight shot Caleb a look of annoyance, "Would you please sit down, you're drawing their fire!"

"Can't do that, Drake." replied Caleb with a grin as he jacked the bolt back on his machine gun, "For this to work, you need to go faster."

Drake reluctantly complied, wondering just what he'd done in this life to get put in these situations.

"What's going on out there!" yelled Caitlyn, sticking her head out.

"Your brother's trying to kill us!" answered Drake glumly.

Caitlyn's eyes widened when she saw the spear wall and her brother taking aim while standing in his chair.

"Wait!" she cried.

Caleb ignored her, and sent a burst of automatic gunfire into the spear wall ahead of them. The sound was deafening, but the bullets had the desired effect, piercing shields and armor, and causing mass panic. A few of the guards were killed instantly, blow off their feet as their bodies were riddled. The rest were merely wounded, falling away bleeding and moaning. Those that didn't get out of the way were trampled by the horse and wagon.

"Was that gunfire?!" cried Trenna, sticking her head out to join Caitlyn.

"Yeah." answered Caitlyn with a nod, "Another of my brother's crazy ideas."

Good thing it worked as the wagon was just able to clear the gate before it clanged shut behind them. There was a roar of anger from the soldiers atop the walls as they watched the rebel wagon make off with their weapons. A few arrows chased after the wagon, but it was soon out of range. The order had been given to pursue, but with the weather and general chaos of everything, it would take time to organize.

"Head for the safe house, we'll need to ditch the wagon later." said Caleb with a grin as he sit down, "I told you all this would work."

"That was very reckless you know." lectured Drake.

"I was improvising." explained Caleb.

"You mean you just wanted an excuse to shoot that gun." teased Caitlyn.

"That sounds like Caleb." agreed Trenna with a nod, "Always looking for an excuse to try out some new toy."

"It worked didn't it." argued Caleb.

"Give some me some warning next time before you fire off that horrible thing!" yelled Tuka's voice from the wagon, "I was nearly deafened, my ears are sensitive you know!"

"Sorry Tuka." apologized Caleb.

"What!?" hollered the Elf girl.

That earned a laugh from the others. While the mission hadn't gone off without a hitch, the goal had been accomplished. They'd made off with an impressive little arsenal that would be put to great use among the RRF's ranks. Not only that, they'd gained some valuable intelligence, but more importantly they were all alive. As long as they stayed together, Marauder Squad would be the spear to pierce the dark heart of this foul Empire. Things would change for the better, they would see to it. While Marauder Squad would go down in history as great warriors in the battle for freedom, there was another group who was truly responsible for the downfall of Honest's regime. But we'll get to them later.

* * *

**MEANWHILE**

* * *

Back in Gilead, it was pandemonium. The rain had finally subsided, and the citizens had been ordered to stay indoors. Platoons of armed soldiers patrolled the streets, looking for any sign of the rebels. Any citizen caught outside was beaten and arrested. At the armory, the dead patrol had been discovered.

Another squad had been tasked with removing the dead bodies. As they did, the men couldn't help but converse nervously amongst themselves.

"Who did this?"

"Rebel scum, they all deserve to die!"

"Was it Night Raid?"

"Those assassins operate in the capital, you moron!"

"Enough!" hollered their captain as soon as Night Raid was mention, "I'll hear no more, get back to work, and the next man who speaks will lose his head!"

His men shut up at that. The captain was about to say more, when a familiar, chilling rasp of a voice cut him off.

"What happened here?" hissed the voice's owner from behind.

The captain and his men turned to see a man, taller than any of them dressed in a long green and red robe that had the royal crest of a crown with a sword through it stitched on the back. The man's eyes were a yellow color, like a reptile, his teeth fang-like, with long blonde hair done in a ponytail that went down his back. The man's fingernails were long and curved into talons. His name was Inquisitor Cedric Mambar, a member of the Inquisition in service to the Emperor who'd been dispatched to Gilead to quell revolts in this region. He was probably the scariest among the Inquisition's ranks for he did not wield a sword or wear armor. Cedric was a skin-changer, a race of demi-human who could change into the form of animal. In Cedric's case, a large snake-like creature with superhuman strength, agility, razor sharp claws, and venom filled fangs. When in this form, Cedric liked to squeeze the life out of his foes by coiling around them, savoring the frantic struggle of his prey as they were slowly crushed. He would then swallow them whole. This little practice had earned Cedric the moniker of "Cedric the Serpent" and absolute terror by the rank and file soldiers. Even now, the captain and his men had seemed to lose their voices as their faces went pale at the sight of the snake man.

"I'm waiting, captain." growled Cedric, an oily smile coming to his face that made the men gulp.

"Inquisitor Mambar, sir." squeaked the captain, saluting as he finally found his voice, "It seems that a small squad of rebels has raided one of our armories, even making off with a few of our firearms."

"Is that so." replied Cedric annoyed, "How many guards were posted here tonight?"

"Uh, just two sir." answered the captain nervously, "A patrol tried to stop them, but they were unsuccessful, and the rebels were able to blast their way out through the southern gate."

"Has a pursuit been organized?" asked Cedric.

"We're still working on that, sir." said the captain, "Our forces are too scattered all over the city at the moment."

"So you're telling me that not only was inadequate security posted at one of our gun armories tonight, allowing rabble to break in." sneered Cedric, "But that your men failed to stop them from escaping and have yet to send a pursuit after them."

"To be fair sir, I wasn't the one commanding, urrrk." gurgled the captain as the Inquisitor cut off his words by throttling him.

The captain's men stepped back, the fear on their faces evident as the skin changer effortlessly lifted the captain off his feet with one arm. Cedric entire arm had changed too. The arm was now green and scaly, with rippling muscles, and dark, hook-like claws.

"You should know by now that I don't tolerate failure, captain." hissed Cedric, a black, forked tongue shooting out his mouth in between every other word.

The captain, unable to speak, tried to struggle, but it was no use. With no effort at all, Cedric crushed the captain's throat with a bone chilling snap. The soldiers all recoiled in horror as the snake man tossed the corpse to the ground.

"Let this be a lesson to you." threatened Cedric, his arm returning to normal, "This is the price to be paid by those who fail the Empire."

"Yes sir!" the soldiers responded nervously.

"Good." continued Cedric, "Now get out there, and find those rebels!"

The men all nodded and dashed off to complete the order. Cedric watched them go, shaking his head as they did. They wouldn't find them, he knew they wouldn't. The rebels were long gone by now. Lately, their attacks had been getting bolder, and worst of all, more successful. Not only that, with the Stormcloak rebellion in Skyrim, and these Night Raid assassins creating all kinds of chaos in the capital, it was clear that the current approach wasn't working. It was clear to Cedric that a new strategy was needed. A way to break these traitors for good, to establish Imperial dominance forever.

**FADE TO BLACK**

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**Note from the Author: **_**I hope that little prologue gives you guys a taste of what this story is going to be about going forward. Tatsumi and Sayo quest for revenge leads them to the Capital which no doubt will lead with to an encounter with a certain merry band of assassins. Caleb is based on the character of the same name from WITCH but with a slightly different appearance and past. Aldarn, Drake, and Cedric are also pulled from WITCH but have been completely revamped. Tuka shares a name and appearance of the character from GATE, but completely different backstory and personality. Trenna and Hogar and completely O.C. You might have recognized a few references here and there from other works. Those will feature prominently later on. **_

_**This story will also push the violence and sex level farther than I've done in the past but will never venture over into straight M territory. No Lemons, not my thing. I do hope you enjoyed reading that prologue though. The next chapter will go into the beginning of the story as seen in the manga and anime, though with a few changes. **_

_**Also if you enjoyed my writing, please be sure to check out the other stories I have going on this site. Right now I am working on a RWBY/Star Wars Crossover called KNIGHTS OF REMNANT: THE GRIMM WAR. If you have questions about anything don't be afraid to PM me. Until next time…..**_

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**TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 1: "MONSTERS OF THE CAPITAL"**

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**PS: **_**I've decided to assign all the characters in this story voice actors. I've seen some other writers on this site do this, and I thought it was a pretty cool idea. Most of the characters will probably retain their original voice actor unless the voice actor sucked or was unmemorable in the role. For each new character introduced, you'll find their corresponding voice actor down here at the bottom of the page. If you have any questions, don't be afraid to PM me.**_

* * *

**CHARACTERS AND VOICE ACTORS**

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**1.****Tatsumi Kalos: **Yuri Lowenthal

**2.****Sayo Mika: **Mae Whitman

**3.****Caleb Arathar: **Greg Cipes

**4.****Caitlyn Arathar: **Grey DeLisle Griffin

**5.****Aldarn Roans: **Nolan North

**6.****Drake Izik:** Freddy Prinze Jr.

**7.****Trenna Lourdes: **Maisie Williams

**8.****Tuka Luna Marceau:** Brina Palencia

**9.****Hogar Stoneborn: **Richard Armitage

**10\. Inquisitor Cedric Mambar: **Dee Bradley Baker


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